Morning journal and courier., 1887-11-16
THE E. s. WHEELER TRIAL.


A Hearing In the Police Court at
Hartford Yesterday-The Tendency
of the Evidence-The State Attempts
to show That Wheeler Was HnsOIv-
emit when He Got a Note Discounted
at the Phoenix Rank-Eis Statement
Then.
HARTFORD, Nov. 15.-The preliminary
hearing of the E. S. Wheeler case took place
in the Police court to-day. The complaint
was brought by the Phoenix National bank of
this city and charges of obtaining money I'M
der false pretences as to note which he pro-
cured to be discounted at the bank. The
prosecution was represented by Prosecuting
Attorney Parker and G. J. Cole. The de-
PENDANTS counsel were E. D. Robbins and @.
E. Perkins. The frat witness was John A.
Redfeld, president of the Phoenix National
bank. Mr.. Cole asked him to give an account
of all the dealing he had had in relation to
the paper of J. L. Wicks and ]. L. Wicks &
Co. Mr.. Perkins objected to the line of ex-
animation. The evidence should be restrict
ed to the note in question. Mr.. Cole replied
that the objections were the same that the
counsel of Jacob Sharp made at the begin
ming of the Doodle trials and which Judge
Barrett overruled. The constant fraudulent
representations for term of years is entirely
admissible, said Mr.. Cole. Judge Henney
permitted the question to be put.
Mr.. Redfeld said that the first note dis
counted was that of James L. Wicks & Co.,
payee E. S. Wheeler, February 5, 1885, 81 :
pa. 04. Others were: April 6, 50, 1868 and
So, 71437; June 10, $2,912; August "a. 81
1856. IS; November s, So, S57.35; January %,
1886, 81, 674. SO; April 9, 81 1893. 10; July IA,
So, 052.73 and s., 4073 SO; October so, SIC; 30:
- AloVri
June 8, $075.18; July 6, 2,151; Au-
gust "A, James L. Wicks company, So, 914. 80.
Mr. Red6eld said that Wheeler told him as
to the first note the James L. Wicks company
had taken the place of the James L. Wicks &
Co., that money had been put in and that the
note was good. He had been assured as to
the two preceding notes that they were bus
mess paper and given in payment for tin
plates he said that he had declined to take
a large lot of this paper because of its being
rated 80 low, and SO told him. We told hlm
we were letting him have a good deal OF
money on that paper which was not ranking
high. On August % Mr.. Wheeler came to
the band and was very anxious to get some
money. We were rather poor that day and
told him we could not let him have it. He
pleaded hard for some and showed us a
note of James L. Wicks company, and he
said the concern had been made into
joint stock company and that 1t was
6pClF6ly GOOD. f1SI0 1b LIS uOLe 4O6G1L aAO
the notice of the protest accompanying 1t.
With this note was another note of another
| maker discounted by US at the Same time
l for some 5000, and the checks given by US tc
l him were So, 790. SO and $S.26, these being
l the proceeds of the two notes. Samuel G,
Durham, direetor in the Phoenix bank
| said that ne was in the bank when Mr.
| Wheeler offered this note august 23) for dis
| count. Mr.. Wheeler said of the James l.
Wicks company that it had $50, 900 capita
| paid in and that the note was good.
| General S. E. Merwin of New Haven
/ the trustee of the estate of E. S. Wheeler
was the next witness. Mr.. Cole asked il
page 1 1888 of the ledger of the concern would
not show a large amount of bogus paper haG
been issued Mr.. Perkins objected. Judge
Henney allowed the question, saying the
| State was entitled to every scrap of evidence
| showing that Wheeler's statements were
| false. An exception was taken by the de
| tense. Witness said the books showed bal
ance to the credit of James L
| $50, 02057. The balance to the
credit of James L. Wicks company
was $76, 1855 on the same date. Mr.. N. S
l Bird, the bookkeeper of the concern, wat
| called to explain the accounts. The question
| whether the State could prove the solyency
| of the names on the note was argued al
i length and was allowed The balance to thu
| The total amount credited to James L. Wicki
| company was $113, 843.43 and the concern
/ was credited with merchandise to the amoun
i of Sc 598 During the examination it was
| found another ledger and the bills receivable
| book were wanted and the evidence based or
1 them was laid aside till the books could b.
1 brought from New Haven. The State want
ed to show where the various notes credited
| to these accounts were discounted.
| Mr.. G. w. Curtie, president of the CITY
| National bank of New Haven, said two notes
4 of E. S. Wheeler & Co. were discounted a
his bank dated August 4, 1887, for So, 005. 25
4 and August for So, 040. so, each for thre'
months, neither of which has been paid
This evidence YVES to show the insolvency o
E. S. Wheeler & Co. A copy of the record
of the Probate court was handed in, givini
| the schedule of assets and liabilities of thu
i concern when the assignment was made
General Merwin said the total assets of al
| kinds were S468, 20919 A certificate O
stock in the James L. Wicks company, helt
/ by Wheeler, was shown. This certificate
/ was dated three days after the Phoenix banl
| note was discounted. It was allowed in evi
/ dence subject to future consideration by thu
court. At this juncture, 12:45, recess wa
taken till 2 o'clock.
| At the afternoon session officers of severa
| Hartford banks testified that they had dis
| counted notes of the James L. Wicks compa
| ny on the representations of Wheeler tina
| the company was a new one with SOC, 00l
| capital. Mr.. Cole, for the prosecution, Offered
the correspondence between Wheeler G Co
| and the James L. Wicks company and J. L
Wicks & Co. He proposed to first read let
ters from Wheeler to J. L. Wicks & Co. t.
show the relation between the parties. Th
first letter asked Wicks & Co. to send 81!
notes of from So, 900 to s., 900 each; anothe
| acknowledging their receipt; another said
"Confer with Mehan; have sent word t.
him." Another to J. L.. Wicks compan,
asked to have eight notes aggregating abou
| So, 900 and another acknowledged their re
ceipt. Then came a request for six NOR
notes, which were sent; then six more wer
| asked and received, all this within a spac
| of about two months. There was more t.
the same general effect, and then the cas-
was adjourned to 10 o'clock to morrow morn
ing.